Mandatory masking returns in health-care facilities starting Oct. 3

VANCOUVER, BC: To increase protections in health-care facilities in the province due to increasing respiratory infection, the province has announced that medical mask wearing will be required by all health-care workers, volunteers, contractors and visitors in patient care areas starting Oct. 3, 2023.
Long-term care visitors will be required to wear a medical mask when they are in common areas of the home and when participating in indoor events, gatherings, activities in communal areas of the care home or residence.
Ambassadors will be at facility entrances to support screening for symptoms of respiratory illnesses, hand out medical masks, and ensure people clean their hands before entering.
“We are starting to see increasing respiratory virus infections in B.C., including COVID-19, and now is the time to remember the healthy habits we can all do to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our communities,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer. “That includes covering your cough, cleaning your hands regularly, staying away from others if you have a cough or a fever, wearing masks if you have lingering symptoms or need extra protection and getting the updated COVID-19 and influenza vaccines. By getting immunized for both COVID-19 and influenza, we are not only protecting ourselves, but also those around us.”
She also informed that priority populations will be invited to book vaccine appointments when the vaccines start to arrive in B.C. in early October. This includes people most at risk of severe illness and complications, such as seniors 65 and older, residents in long-term care facilities, Indigenous peoples, pregnant people and those with chronic health conditions (e.g., cancer, HIV, hepatitis C, diabetes), as well as health-care workers.
Invitation for immunization appointments for everyone else will begin on Oct. 10, 2023, and people will be able to receive influenza and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time, if they wish. Invitations will roll out incrementally throughout the month of October.
Vaccines will be readily available in many participating pharmacies, health-authority clinics, and some primary-care providers’ offices throughout the province. They remain free and are available for everyone six months and older, including enhanced influenza vaccines for seniors.
Health Canada approved the updated Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty Omicron XBB.1.5. COVID-19 vaccines on Sept. 28, 2023, and the COVID-19 Moderna Spikevax vaccine on Sept. 12, 2023, and they will be available in B.C. soon. The new vaccines target the XBB.1.5 subvariant and are approved for use in people six months and older. The updated Novavax vaccine is expected to be approved shortly and will also be available throughout the province.
Learn More:
To view the presentation from Sept. 28, visit:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Fall_Immunization_Campaign_Sept2023.pdf